Multirate cochlear stimulation strategy and apparatus

US7072717B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Cochlear Limited · AU

Inventors

• Joe Wolf · Sydney, AU
• Paul Michael Carter · Parramatta, AU
• Simon Geoffrey Parker · Chatswood, AU
• Robert Fearn · Sydney, AU
• Niki Frampton · Parramatta, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 13, 2000
• Grant date: Jul 4, 2006
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/36038
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An improved processing approach is disclosed in order to allow for different rates of stimulation to be used for different electrodes in a multi-electrode cochlear implant. When the incoming signal is processed by filter array (35), each channel is processed to determine amplitude (37) and to estimate the period of the signal in that channel (39). The amplitude and period information is used to determine which electrode is stimulated, and the timing of that stimulation.